My first "cross country" solo flight today

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
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I decided to get this over with! Fall is coming, the weather has been decent lately (meaning not as hot and humid) and so yesterday I went up with my CFi and we did 10 turns of the pattern.

This morning he set me loose. I didn't go far, just under 30 miles to another untowered airport.

On the way I did three, 360 steep turns and then some ground reference maneuvers. I managed to hold altitude for the most part, I climbed a little bit but just barely above 100 feet extra. Overall the ride over was uneventful. It was overcast this morning (but fairly high ceilings) and I saw a jet cross my path (much higher altitude, but pretty cool nonetheless).

I did two landings at the other airport (the first one, a really gentle squeaker, the second was set up perfectly... great.. great... great... a little balloon, a little gas, a little more balloon.. settle... not enough.. crunch. doh!

Then I came back in, no probs with the ADIZ and then an uneventful ride back in and then a set up for landing.. another nice gentle one. sweet!

I'm on my way! I felt really good - not nervous, but not cocky-pumped either (like my solo - which may have been nervousness masked as bravado).
 
woodstock said:
This morning he set me loose. I didn't go far, just under 30 miles to another untowered airport.

I'm on my way! I felt really good -
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Wow Beth, that's great! I was wondering how your flying was progressing! :)
 
woodstock said:
I decided to get this over with! Fall is coming, the weather has been decent lately (meaning not as hot and humid) and so yesterday I went up with my CFi and we did 10 turns of the pattern.

This morning he set me loose. I didn't go far, just under 30 miles to another untowered airport.

On the way I did three, 360 steep turns and then some ground reference maneuvers. I managed to hold altitude for the most part, I climbed a little bit but just barely above 100 feet extra. Overall the ride over was uneventful. It was overcast this morning (but fairly high ceilings) and I saw a jet cross my path (much higher altitude, but pretty cool nonetheless).

I did two landings at the other airport (the first one, a really gentle squeaker, the second was set up perfectly... great.. great... great... a little balloon, a little gas, a little more balloon.. settle... not enough.. crunch. doh!

Then I came back in, no probs with the ADIZ and then an uneventful ride back in and then a set up for landing.. another nice gentle one. sweet!

I'm on my way! I felt really good - not nervous, but not cocky-pumped either (like my solo - which may have been nervousness masked as bravado).
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Hell yeah! You're making progress!!
 
Elizabeth,

Sounds good! At least you landed smooooth at home. I tend to land a bit firm on the return trip but I have been doing better. Mary says they all feel fine so I guess we are just critical of our landings.

Weather should be cooling off some and that's motivation enough to "get er' done"

I finally found some of our cat pictures to post....sorry it took so long.

1. Jake, a rescue kitty. He likes to hang out on the rail.
2. Inky, the Turkish Angora.
3. George, another rescue kitty.
4. Harry, another rescue ( from a dumpster)
 

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cute kitties! your black one looks like mine.

Yep, on my way! WOOT! This was a very good day.
 
Congrats on your solo X-C - Sounds like you did a great job! I think all of my landings on my first solo cross-country were... memorable.... all cross-winds that day... but the planes were fully reusable afterwards :)


Leslie
 
lprellwitz said:
Congrats on your solo X-C - Sounds like you did a great job! I think all of my landings on my first solo cross-country were... memorable.... all cross-winds that day... but the planes were fully reusable afterwards :)


Leslie
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forgot to mention - the winds were completely calm today! yesterday was gusty but I got some good practice with my CFI there.
 
Yay!!!!

Just the other day I thought about beating on ya since we hadn't heard any flying stories.

Keep it up!!!!
 
Elizabeth, good deal! Now, keep on going and in the words of a true southern redneck... "Git-r-done!" :D
 
woodstock said:
Thanks everyone! This was definitely re-motivating.
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Great Elizabeth!!! Glad to hear it. It won't be long now. Just a few more cross countries and you will be there!!!
 
Glad to hear you're back at it, full-tilt-boogie! :D You don't have much to go, now - keep us posted!! :)
 
You're getting real close now, Liz - put the petal to the metal and get'er'done!
 
thanks Chuck.

I should also tell everyone, much to my amazement (and likely yours too) I've even started cracking the books again.

Almost 4.5 years ago I took the written and missed one or two questions on it. (geesh, it really was 4.5 years ago - late March or early April 2003). This morning I cracked the spine on my Rod Machado workbook (companion to his private pilot book) and ran through two chapters of questions. I did really well! So I'll likely do this each morning until I have finished all questions in the book - good for the oral part of the checkride too.

I don't even remember - can you take the written any old time or is there a set schedule for it?
 
IIRC the written has a 2 yr expiration, and can be taken pretty much anytime the test center you choose can schedule it.
 
gprellwitz said:
You can take it at any time, but you'll probably need another signoff for it.
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Although I disagree with the FAA's position on this, there is no regulatory expiration date on a knowledge test endorsement. Some instructors avoid the issue of explaining to the FSDO busts on tests taken a year after the training was given by including a 30- or 60-day expiration date on their endorsement.
 
Ron Levy said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by gprellwitz
You can take it at any time, but you'll probably need another signoff for it.

Although I disagree with the FAA's position on this, there is no regulatory expiration date on a knowledge test endorsement. Some instructors avoid the issue of explaining to the FSDO busts on tests taken a year after the training was given by including a 30- or 60-day expiration date on their endorsement.
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Hmmm... Thanks for the correction. It makes no sense to me that the test itself expires after 24 months, but the endorsement doesn't, but that's the FAA for you. :dunno:

Given that, Beth, go get it done!:yes:
 
Hi!

I did, it's been nutty crazy at work. THANK YOU! that helps a lot. they don't live too far from there.

I'll have to play it by ear on whether I can meet up with anyone that day, assuming my training continues in September (I've already got 2 weekends inked in for travel and the possibility of a third) I'm heading down to visit friends who moved there from DC and it's really mostly going to be flying down, visiting them for lunch at their house, then heading back before it gets dark. What is great about it is that if I'm at that point, that gets my long XC out of the way - I'd stop at CHO on the way home and be done with it.

I might be able to meet someone at the airport briefly but not for lunch or anything. Since you're already local if you want to stop by to say hello before I would head home, cool!

This all assumes I'm flying a lot b/w today, and then. I am leaving for my parents' home Friday for 4 days and I'm heading to my other house for Labor Day weekend - which means only two other wkds in between now, and the planned long XC.
 
and I'm going to Colorado and New Mexico from Oct 5 through 14th which is great but those are the prime flying times around here - early October is usually the best time to fly. I'll have to fly 3x a weekend I think, again, in order to get this over with.
 
woodstock said:
and I'm going to Colorado and New Mexico from Oct 5 through 14th which is great but those are the prime flying times around here - early October is usually the best time to fly. I'll have to fly 3x a weekend I think, again, in order to get this over with.
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Hey, a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do! Just get it done, however ya have to! :)

Let me know what's up with ya! :)
 
etsisk said:
Hey, a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do! Just get it done, however ya have to! :)

Let me know what's up with ya! :)
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sounds like a plan! I can definitely meet you at the airport, but it won't be at lunchtime -maybe after I can head there, hang out, and then preflight and head home. sounds like you are pretty close?
 
You rock the shop Elizabeth. Goal's in sight, just gotta punch it out...

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
yup - being there is usually no problem, if work doesn't impose some other schedule on me! Just let me know what's up! :)
 
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